Commonly Asked Questions

Submitting claims

How do I submit a Long-Term Care (LTC) claim?

To inform Northwestern Mutual of a Long-Term Care claim, please complete this form or contact the Northwestern Long-Term Care Claims Administration Office at 1-800-748-9493. Our staff will answer your questions and assist you with all aspects of claims management.

How do I submit a disability claim?

To inform Northwestern Mutual of a disability, please complete this form or call our dedicated team at 1-800-748-9493. You can also contact your Northwestern Mutual Representative.

How do I report death of an insured?

Our deepest sympathies. To inform Northwestern Mutual of a death of your loved one, please complete the following form.

Beneficiaries

How do I view the beneficiary on my Northwestern Mutual policy?

To view beneficiary information, go to the details page of your individual policy or investment account by logging in.

Online access and payments

How do I register for an account?

How do I pay my bill online?

Sign-up or Log in to your Billing Account, a convenient way to pay multiple policies at once. When you have a Billing Account, you can make payments on this site as well as sign up for automatic payments, stop automatic payments, change the account used for automatic payments, change the payment frequency, or make one-time loan payments on outstanding balances.

How do I see my payment history?

You can see a history of your payment events on the Billing and Payments page. If you have additional questions, please contact Northwestern Mutual directly at (866) 950-4644 Monday - Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m., CT

Can I make an online payment for a policy that is not on a Billing Account?

To sign up for a Billing Account, call our Customer Service Center at (866)950-4644.

Tax documents

This FAQ is not intended to be tax advice and cannot be used for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code or any other applicable tax law and you are advised to seek tax advice based upon your own particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.

Why am I receiving a Form 1099 from Northwestern Mutual?

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) require Northwestern Mutual to report certain distributions received from life insurance and annuity contracts, and interest earned. The IRS requires that we report this information on a Form 1099 to both the taxpayer and the IRS. Some common examples of taxable income Northwestern Mutual is required to report include Form 1099-INT and Form 1099-R.

Can Northwestern Mutual advise me on tax matters?

No, Northwestern Mutual cannot provide tax advice as tax laws are complex and circumstances can vary greatly. This FAQ provides answers to common questions about the Forms 1099 and what is reported on them. For tax advice you should consult with your tax advisor. For example, if you received a 1099-R indicating “taxable amount not determined” you may want to discuss with a tax advisor to determine the taxable portion. You may find helpful information on the Internal Revenue Service site at, www.irs.gov, including IRS Publication 17, which provides information on a variety of topics and is searchable.

Form 1099-INT

Where do I report the interest income from the Form 1099-INT?

Generally, interest income reported on Form 1099-INT is reported under the category of “taxable interest” on line 2 of the Yearly Tax Form 1040EZ or line 8a on the Yearly Tax Forms 1040A and 1040.

I received a Form 1099-INT as beneficiary of a life insurance contract. I thought death benefits were tax-free. Why did I receive a Form 1099-INT?

While the death benefits from a life insurance contract are generally tax-free, interest may be paid from the date of death until the claim is settled. The IRS requires that we report the interest you earned on Form 1099-INT.

Form 1099-R

Where do I report the taxable gain from the Form 1099-R on my federal income tax return?

If you receive income that is reported on Form 1099-R you cannot use Form 1040EZ. Generally, distributions from life insurance and annuity contracts are reported under the category of “pensions and annuities” on lines 12a and 12b on the Yearly Tax Form 1040A (11a and 11b if an IRA distribution) or lines 16a and 16b on Yearly Tax Form 1040 (15a and 15b if an IRA distribution).

I surrendered multiple life insurance or annuity contracts. Why did I only receive one Form 1099-R?

The IRS allows for consolidating information from multiple contracts on one form, if the information is similar. As a mutual insurance company that is owned by the policyowners, we take advantage of this opportunity to reduce costs. We do include a breakdown by contract on the page following the Form 1099-R.

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Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company and its subsidiaries. Life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits are issued by The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI (NM). Long-term care insurance is issued by Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI, (NLTC) a subsidiary of NM. Securities are offered through Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, (NMIS) a subsidiary of NM, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC. Fiduciary and fee-based financial planning services are offered through Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company® (NMWMC), Milwaukee, WI, a subsidiary of NM and a federal savings bank. Products and services referenced are offered and sold only by appropriately appointed and licensed entities and financial advisors. Not all products and services are available in all states. Not all Northwestern Mutual representatives are advisors. Only those representatives with the titles "Financial Advisor" or "Wealth Management Advisor" are credentialed as NMWMC representatives to provide advisory services.